Device for dispensing a concentrated fluid stream

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR DISPENSING A CONCENTRATED FLUID STREAM WITH SUBSTANTIAL FORCE UTILIZING A PRESSURE FLUID MEDIUM WHICH DOES NOT EFFECT THE STORED FLUID TO BE DISPENSED UNTIL THE DEVICE IS TRIGGERED.

Sept. 20, 1971 w. E. STAPF 3,606,100

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING A CONCENTRATED FLUID STREAM Filed Feb. 13, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w nnunuunuuvun I,

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llli I44 /40 //7 3/ INVENTOR.

WILLIAM E. ST APF AGENT Sept. 20, 1971 w, 5, STAFF 3,606,100

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING A CONCENTRATED FLUID STREAM Filed Feb. 13, 1970 I 3 ShOGtSr-ShGOt 3 FIG. 4A FIG. 4B

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WILLIAM E. STPF Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,606,100 DEVICE FOR DISPENSING A CONCENTRATED FLUID STREAM William E. Stapf, Alexandria, Va., assignor to AMF Incorporated Filed Feb. 13, 1970, Ser. No. 11,210 Int. Cl. G01f 11/00 US. Cl. 222320 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for dispensing a concentrated fluid stream with substantial force utilizing a pressure fluid medium which does not eifect the stored fluid to be dispensed until the device is triggered.

This invention relates generally to hand held dispensers and more particularly to the type dispenser capable of ejecting a concentrated stream and fluid with substantial force.

The type of dispenser or gun contemplated in the present application is not new and various devices of this general type have found utility as anti-personnel of defensive weapons and fire extinguishers, etc. This equipment should not, however, be considered as being in the same category as a toy water pistol.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hand held dispenser for discharging a concentrated liquid stream with substantial force.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing device in which the total liquid charge can be dispensed as a single continuous stream or as a series of shots each of controlled duration.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing device which utilizes pressure fluid as the dispensing power medium.

And another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing dispenser in which the pressure fluid and liquid charge are isolated from one another, and the liquid charge is not subject to the effects of the pressure fluid until the dispenser is fired or triggered.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by Way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B are side sectional views of a device made in accordance with the present invention prior to being fired, immediately after being triggered as the valve thereof starts to open and after being partially discharged with the valve thereof starting to close, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the novel device of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 1 each of a modified form of device made in accordance with the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are fragmentary sectional views illustrating the trigger mechanism of the device of FIG. 4 in different operated positions.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of still another form of device made in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B and :2, the novel dispenser device is provided with rear and front body or breech portions 10 and 20 which are connected in end to end relationship.

The rear body or breech portion 10 defines a pressure cylinder 11 closed by rear and front Walls 12 and 14. The rear wall 12 is provided a suitable filler valve means 13 for charging the cylinder with pressure fluid, and the front wall 14 is provided with a discharge port 15. A pair of spaced and substantially parallel walls or flanges 16 depends from the bottom side of the cylinder 11 to form an axially disposed keeper track or guide which preferably extends the full length of the rear body or breech portion 10.

The front body or breech portion 20 defines an axially disposed cylinder 21 closed at its ends by a rear wall 22' and a front wall 24. The rear wall 22 is provided with a central opening 23 which is axially aligned adjacent the cylinder 11 and with the track or guide formed by the walls or flanges 16. The front Wall 24 is provided with a reduced outwardly extending barrel or guide portion 25 which has an opening or bore 26 axially aligned with the bore of the cylinder 2'1 and the opening 23 through the wall 22. The inner surface of the front Wall 24 is provided with an annular groove 27 which is flow connected to the discharge port 15 by a passage 29 that extends axially through the top portion of the body or breech portion 20 to provide pressure fluid from the cylinder 11 to the front of the cylinder 21. The cylinder 21 is provided with the usual filler plug 28, as shown, for the fluid to be disposed.

A grip or handle 31 depends from a track 32' which extends axially along the bottom of the front body or breech portion 20. The front end of the track 3'2 is closed while the rear end is open and is provided with a slot 33 located directly above the grip 31. A ratchet or indent bar 34 is slidably received by the track 32 which is provided in its front or closed end with a relatively weak bottoming spring 37. The bar 34 is provided with a spaced series of indents or recesses 35 in its bottom surface and a finger or keeper 36 which extends upwardly at the rear end of the bar for movement within the track or guide formed by the Walls 16.

A trigger mechanism is provided in the upper end of the grip 31 and comprises a slidable spring loaded trigger member 40, a cam member 41 mounted on the end of the trigger member for pivotation against a spring 45 in case of overtravel, a pivotable pawl 42 biased by a spring 43 to engage one of the indents 35 and move out of such engagement by the cam member when rotated, and a stop or impositive detent 44.

A piston 50 is provided with a head 51 movable in the cylinder 21, and a hollow stem 52 which extends through and is slidable in the opening or bore 26 through the front wall 24 and its guide portion 25. The opening or passage 58 through the piston stem 52 extends through the piston head forming a port seat, and may be provided with flow straightening vanes 54 and screening means 55, as shown. The discharge end 56 of the passage 53 is of a reduced diameter to concentrate and amplify the discharge flow of fluid being dispensed.

A valve member 60 is provided in the cylinder 21 to control the flow of fluid being dispensed. The valve member 60 is provided with a head 61 which cooperates with the port seat formed by the passage 53 in the piston head 51, a stem 62 which extends from the valve head through the opening 23 and engages the keeper or finger 36, a spider member 63 fixed to the valve stem 62 adjacent the valve head 61, and a spring 64 disposed between the spider member 63 and the piston head 51 which urges the valve head 61 away from the port seat to create a valve open condition. The dispenser device is provided with suitable seals as required.

To ready or arm the novel dispenser or gun for operation, the bar 34 is moved or ratcheted forwardly until the pawl 42 engages the rearmost indent 35. In this position, as shown in FIG. 1, the keeper 36 moves the valve member 60 to its forwardmost position where the valve head 61 engages the port seat and the piston head 51 is held against the front wall 24 of the cylinder 21.

The filler plug 28 is removed to fill the cylinder 21 with fluid to be dispensed and then is replaced. The cylinder or pressure chamber 11 is filled with any suitable pressure fluid through the valve means 13 from a compressed air line, a C bottle or any other suitable source. This provides high pressure in the annular groove 26 acting on the piston head 51. This pressure, however, has no effect on the fluid in the cylinder 21 because of the mechanical interlock provided by the valve member 60 to the ratchet bar 34 and its keeper 36 which holds the piston 50 against rearward movement. The device or dispenser now is armed and ready for use.

To use or fire the device for dispensing the fluid in cylinder 21, as shown in FIG. 1A, the trigger 40 is depressed and moves the cam member 41 against the bottom of the pawl 42 which rotates against the force of the spring 43 until it abuts the stop 44. This rotation causes the top of the pawl 42 to move out of the rearmost indent 35 thereby releasing the ratchet bar 34 and its keeper 36 for rearward movement.

The force of spring 64, acting on the spider 63, now urges the valve member 60 rearwardly which moves the valve head 61 away from the port seat at the head end of the passage 53. The valve stem 62 engaging the keeper 36 causes the ratchet bar 34 to move rearwardly with the valve member 60. This creates a valve open condition for dispensing fluid from the cylinder 21 through the passage 53 and simultaneously removes the mechanical interlock to the piston 50. The force of the pressure fluid from cylinder 11 in the annular grove 27 acts on the head 51 causing the piston 50 to move rearwardly and reduce the eflective area of the cylinder 21 thereby forcing fluid to discharge through the passage 53. As long as the valve member 60 is free to move rearwardly, the spring 64 acting between the piston head 51 and the spider 64 will maintain the valve open condition of the fluid discharge or dispensing passage 53.

Upon release of the trigger 40, the pawl 42 is rotated by the spring 43 into the first indent 35 moved into a position for such engagement by the rearwardly moving ratchet bar, as shown in FIG. 1B. The ratchet bar 34 with its keeper 36 and the valve member 60 are again mechanically locked against further rearward movement.

The pressure fluid acting on the head 51 will continue to move the piston 50 rearwardly until the valve head 61 again engages the port seat to re-establish a valve closed condition. Fluid will continue to be dispensed until this occurs and at that time the piston 50 is again mechanically locked against further movement.

If the fluid suply is not exhausted, further fluid dispensing can be accomplished by again depressing the trigger 40. Inasmuch as the cam member 41 is mounted for pivotation in one direction against the force of spring 35 to override the pawl 42 in case of overtravel of the cam member when the trigger 40 is depressed, the triggering mechanism can be modified for momentary tripping operation by removing stop 44. .Stop 44 as heretofore indicated, can also be an impositive detent indicating to the user the continuous dispensing position of the'trigger 40 and permitting trigger overtravel for tripper operation to permit successive discrete amounts of fluid to be dispensed.

The ratcheting relationship of the pawl 42 and spring 43 permits the ratchet bar 34 to be manually moved forwardly to rearm the novel dispenser device. This returns the piston 50 and valve member '60 to their original positions, as shown in FIG. 1. Cylinders 11 and 21 are then refilled as previously described.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a modified dispenser is shown in which the rear and front body portions 10 and 20 are rotated to position the top of the dispenser, as shown in FIG. 1, at the bottom. The piston 50 and valve member 60 are the same as was heretofore described except for the flow straightening vanes 54 and screens 55 which are now removed from the discharge passage 53. The bottoming spring 37 is eliminated from the track 32, and the ratchet bar 70 with its keeper 72 corresponds to the ratchet bar 34 and keeper 36. However, a series of elongated slots or indents 71 with small intervening land portions are provided in place of the notches 35.

A grip or handle 73, disposed rearwardly of the rear body portion 10, is provided in place of the grip 31 and a trigger mechanism support 74 is provided above the slot 32 of the track 31. The grip 73 and support 74, as a matter of choice, can be joined together as a single assembly and connected to the body portions 10 and 20, or they can be independently connected.

A slidable spring loaded trigger 75, corresponding to trigger 35, extends into the support 74 and terminates with an L-shaped carrier or arm 76. A cam member 77 is mounted on the arm 76 in a manner similar to the mounting of the cam member 41 on the trigger 40. A pivotable pawl 78 and a spring 79, corresponding to the pawl 42 and spring 43, respectively, are provided. Although not shown, a stop or impositive detent, corresponding to the stop or detent 44, may also be provided. The arming and use of the dispenser of FIG. 3 are the same as described above with respect to the dispenser of FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B.

Another form of dispenser, made in accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4,, is provided with rear and front body or breech portions 80 and 90 corresponding to the rear and front body portions 10 and 20, respectively, a piston 50 and a valve member 60.

A grip or handle frame is unitary with the rear body portion 80 which defines a pressure cylinder 83 with a pair of spaced parallel walls or flanges 83- corresponding and being positioned similar to the cylinder 11 and walls 16, respectively, of the dispenser of FIG. 3. The walls 83 extend above the top of the front body portion 90, and these extensions also extend rearwardly of the cylinder 81 to the top of the grip frame 85. The bottom of the grip frame 85 extends forwardly and upwardly to the rear bottom portion of the cylinder 81 where, at that point, a filler valve 82 corresponding to valve 13, is provided. The front end of the cylinder 81 has no wall and is open.

The front body or breech pontion corresponds to the body portion 20 and defines a cylinder 91 corresponding to the cylinder 21. The cylinder 91 is closed at its ends by rear and front walls 92 and 93- corresponding to the walls 22 and 23, respectively, and is provided with a filler plug 97 which corresponds to the filler plug 28. The rear wall 92 has a central opening 93 corresponding to the opening 23. The front wall 94, which is domed, is provided with a tubular guide portion 95 corresponding to the guide portion '25, and the opening 96 thereof corresponding to the opening 26 is axially aligned with opening 93 and the bore of cylinder 91.

Unlike the guide portion 25, the guide portion 95 extends inwardly and with the domed end wall 94 defines an annular area corresponding to the annular groove 27 in the front Wall 24. The rear wall 92 and the back of the body portion 90 cooperate to close the front end of the pressure cylinder 81 which is flow connected to the annular portion of the cylinder 91 by a passage 98 corresponding to the passage 29. The free rearrnost end of the guide portion 95 acts as the forward limit for the piston 50.

A track 99, which corresponds to track 32, is provided at the top of the front body portion 90 for a ratchet bar 100. The ratchet bar 100, like ratchet bars 34 and/or 70, is provided with a spaced series of recesses or indents 101, and a keeper 102.

An L-shaped pawl 103 is pivotally mounted between the upper front ends of the flanges 83 and a fixed cam member 84 is spaced rearwardly therefrom. A spring 104 is provided to bias one leg of the pawl 103 into engaging an aligned indent 101 of the ratchet bar 100 while the other leg of the pawl extends upwardly from its pivot.

A spring loaded trigger 86 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the grip 85 and is provided with an arm or link 87 which extends forwardly therefrom across the cam 84 and has a tapered face at its other end. Immediately behind the tapered face, the bottom surface of the arm 87 is provided with a notch or jaw recess 88 to receive the upwardly extending leg of the pawl 104, and a sloped cam surface 89.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a first increment of movement of the trigger 86 moves the arm 87 rearwardly to rotate the pawl 103 against the spring 104 and out of engagement with an indent 101. This frees the bar 100 and conditions the novel device for continuous dispensing. Although not shown, a stop or indent corresponding to the stop or impositive indent 44 would be provided to indicate this position.

Further movement of the trigger 85, as shown in FIG. 4B causes the cam surface 89 to engage and ride on the cam 84. The jaw 88 therefore moves rearwardly and upwardly to release the pawl 103 which is then biased into engagement with an aligned indent 101 by the spring 104. The tapered face permits the arm 87 to override the pawl 103 and return to its original position, as shown in FIG. 4, when the trigger 86 is released. This is the equivalent to the trip trigger action heretofore described. The dispenser of FIG. 4 is armed and operates in the same manner as heretofore described with respect to the dispenser of FIG. 1.

Still another form of dispenser in accordance with the present invention is made in the configuration of a flashlight, as shown in FIG. 5. It will be noted that this configuration lacks the grip portion provided each of the previously described dispensers, and a lens with a lens frame or bezel is provided at the front end of the present device. As in the other forms described, this dispenser primarily comprises rear and front body portions 110 and 120 connected together in end to end relationship, a piston 50, a modified valve member 140 and a triggered ratchet type control means.

The front of the rear body portion 110 defines a cylinder or chamber 111, for fluid to be dispensed, which is closed at its rear end by a wall 112 spaced from both ends of the rear body portion. The wall 112 has a central opening 113 corresponding to the opening 93 through the wall 92 of the dispenser shown in FIG. 4. The cylinder 111 is provided with a filler plug 114, and the back of the rear body portion 110 is closed by a cap 115 similar to the rear cap of a flashlight. An axial track 116 is disposed on one side of the cylinder 111 for a ratchet bar and is provided with a slot 117 in its outer wall as will be further discussed.

The front body portion 120 defines a cylinder or chamber 121, for pressure fluid, which is closed at its forward end by a wall 122 with an inwardly extending tubular guide .123 similar to the guide portion 95 in FIG. 4. The guide portion 123 extends the full length of the cylinder 121, and its opening or bore 124 is axially aligned with the opening 113 of wall 112 and the bore of the cylinder 111.

The head 51 of the piston 50 is slidably disposed in the cylinder 111 while the hollow piston stem 52 extends through the guide portion 123. Therefore, the piston head 51 is, in effect, a movable front wall of the cylinder 111 and rear wall of the cylinder 121 which is limited in its forward travel by the back or free end of the guide portion 123. Accordingly, as the piston 50 moves axially, the effective areas of the cylinders 111 and 121 change inversely to one another. If the cylinder area and/ or wall groove forward of the piston head 51 in the dispenser of FIGS. 1, 3 or 4, which is flow connected to the pressure cylinder 11 or 81, is considered as being part of such cylinder, the effective areas to the pressure and fluid cylinders also change inversely to one another as the piston 50 moves.

The cylinder 121 is provided with a filler valve 125 for connection to a source of suitable pressure fluid. A frame 126 is provided around the forward end of the body portion 120 and mounts a lens 127 thereby giving the dispenser the appearance of being a flashlight. The lens 127 has a central opening 128 axially aligned with the tubular piston stem 52 for passing fluid being dispensed and a ring of absorbent material 129 is provided within the frame or lens support 126 for any dripping of fluid being dispensed.

A ratchet bar 130, which corresponds to the ratchet bars heretofore described, is slidably disposed in the track 116 and is provided with a spaced series of recesses or indents 131 in its side remote from the cylinder 111 and a keeper 132 extending inwardly toward the axis of the body portion between the wall 112 and the cap 115. The keeper 132 has an opening 133 axially aligned with the opening 113 through the wall 112.

The rear body portion 110 is provided with external means 118 for supporting a spring loaded pushbutton trigger 135 provided with a rearwardly extending cam arm 137. An L-shaped pawl 138 is pivotally mounted in the external support means 118. The pawl 138 has one leg arranged to extend through the slot 117 and engage an aligned indent 131, and the other leg to be engaged by the arm 136 of the push-button 135. When the pushbuton 135 is depressed, the arm 136 causes the pawl 137 to rotate against the force of a return spring 138 to free the ratchet bar 130 for movement. The cap in addition to closing the back of the dispenser, provides a limit stop for the ratchet bar as it moves rearwardly.

A valve member 140 corresponding to the valve member 60, is provided in the cylinder 111. The valve member 140 has ahead 141, a stem 142, a spider 143 and a spring 144 corresponding to the head 61, stem 62, spider 63 and spring 64, respectively, of the valve member 60. The end 145 of the stem 142 outwardly of the wall 112 is of a reduced diameter and extends through the opening 133 of keeper 132. To prevent separation of the stem 142 and keeper 132, a collar or cap 146 is provided on the reduced stem end 146.

The dispenser of FIG. 5, which is camouflaged to appear to be a flashlight, is armed and used in the same manner as the dispenser of FIG. 1.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a fluid dispenser, a combination comprising:

a cylinder for fluid to be dispensed and having a wall closing one end thereof;

piston means having a head movable axially in said cylinder, and an axial opening providing a fluid dispensing passage;

pressure fluid means urging said piston head towards said cylinder end wall thereby causing fluid to be dispensed;

ratchet means movable along a path substantially parallel to said piston head;

spring biased pawl means engaging and preventing said ratchet means from moving in one direction;

trigger means operable for disengaging said pawl means against its spring bias from said ratchet means thereby permitting said ratchet means to move in said one direction; axially movable valve means having a head at one end adjacent said piston head, a stem extending from said valve head through said end wall and engaged by said ratchet means, and spring biasing means; said valve head engaging said piston head and sealing said dispensing passage against flow when said valve means is held against movement by said ratchet means engaged by said pawl means; and said spring biasing means urging said valve and piston heads away from each other thereby opening said dispensing passage to flow when said valve means is permitted to move by said ratchet means disengaged by said pawl means. 2. In a fluid dispenser, the combination in accordance with claim 1 and:

said piston means having a stem extending axially from said piston head in a direction away from said wall at the end of said cylinder; and said axial opening extending through said piston head and stem, and defining a port seat in said piston head cooperating with said valve head to control the flow of fluid through the dispensing passage. '3. In a fluid dispenser, the combination in accordance with claim 2, and;

said cylinder having another wall at its end opposite from said one end; and said other Wall including an axially disposed tubular portion defining an opening through said other wall slidably receiving said piston stem. 4. In a fluid dispenser, the combination in accordance with claim 3, and said pressure fluid means comprising:

a chamber for pressure fluid; and passage means flow connecting said chamber to said other end of said cylinder. 5. In a fluid dispenser, the combination in accordance with claim 3, and:

said tubular portion extending from said other wall outwardly of said cylinder; said other "wall having an annular groove in its surface within said cylinder; and said pressure fluid means comprising a chamber for pressure fluid, and at least one passage flow connect ing said chamber to said annular groove. 6. In a fluid dispenser, the combination in accordance with claim 3, and

said tubular portion extending from said other wall into said cylinder and terminating in a free end limiting the movement of said piston head in a direction away from said one end; and said pressure fluid means comprising a chamber for pressure fluid, and at least one passage flow connecting said chamber to said cylinder along the length of said tubular portion. 7. In a fluid dispenser, the combination in accordance 10 with claim 2, and said pressure fluid means comprising:

a chamber for pressure fluid connected at one end to the end of said cylinder opposite from said one end, and having a wall at its other end; said wall at the other end of said chamber having a tubular portion extending axially through substantially the full length of said chamber and terminating in a free end limiting the movement of said piston head in a direction away from said one end of said cylinder; said tubular portion defining an opening through said wall at said other end of said chamber slidably receiving said piston stem; and said piston head providing a wall common to said cylinder and chamber and varying the eflective areas thereof inversely to each other by axial movement. '8. In a fluid dispenser, the combination in accordance with claim 1, and:

said ratchet means having a spaced series of indents each to be engaged by said pawl means when aligned therewith; and said trigger means being operable to a first position holding said pawl means disengaged from said ratchet means, and to a second position past said first position thereby releasing said pawl means for reengaging said ratchet means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,706 10/1954 Wilksten 222389X 3,228,565 1/1966 Stanzel 222-325X 

